ELLISVILLE – It was another solid performance for No. 5 Jones College Wednesday afternoon at Community Bank Park/Gwen Magee Field.
 
Nia Luckett (Philadelphia) drove in five runs in the opener as the Bobcats defeated Meridian, 13-5 in five innings. In game two, Hanna Zeitz (Clinton Christian Academy) tossed a one-hitter and Jones posted another five-inning decision, 9-1. Luckett had three RBIs in game two to give her eight on the day.
 
Jones, 19-6 overall and 7-1 in the MACCC, travels to Booneville to meet Northeast at 2 p.m. Saturday. Meridian, 8-13 overall and 0-8 in league play, hosts No. 11 Northwest Saturday.
 
Jones 13, Meridian 5 – 5 inn.
 
The Bobcats sent 18 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs in the first two innings.
 
Carly Lewis (Jackson Prep) had a bases-loaded, two-run double to right for the big hit of the first inning.
 
Leading 5-2 going into the bottom of the second, Luckett launched a three-run home run over the left-center field wall to put Jones up 8-2. MCC also committed four errors in the inning to help Jones take a 10-2 lead after two.
 
The Eagles added a run in the top of the third, but the Bobcats got that run right back when Lauren Lindsey (Mobile, Alabama) slugged a solo blast in the bottom of the inning to make it 11-3.
 
Meridian got back-to-back solo blasts from Sydney Sizemore and Myah Joe to trim the lead to 11-5 in the top of the fifth.
 
But Jones ended it in the bottom of the fifth when Sarah Ballard (Purvis) led off with a double, Aaliyah Dixon (Hillcrest Christian) singled and Luckett followed with a two-run double.
 
Lindsay Henson (Lawrenceburg, Indiana) went 4.1 innings and got the win, upping her record to 5-0. She allowed five runs, 10 hits, walked one and struck out seven. Kristen Walker (Leake Academy) got the final two outs and recorded a strikeout.
 
Luckett homered, singled and drove in the five runs. Lindsey homered and singled with Henson and Lewis each getting a double and a single. Dixon singled twice and Ballard doubled.
 
Joe homered and singled twice for MCC with Sizemore getting a home run and a single. Jada Ben had two singles with Haley Stockman, Mattie Grandberry and Amani Wilson adding singles.
 
Starter Bailey McClellan last one-plus inning and was tagged with the loss, falling to 1-4. She allowed seven runs (three earned) and four hits. Abigail Smith went the final 3.0 innings, allowed six runs (three earned) and seven hits.
 
Jones 9, Meridian 1 – 5 inn.
 
Zeitz allowed a leadoff home run to Sizemore in the fourth and that was it. She ended up with four strikeouts, walked one and hit two batters as she improved 4-2.
 
The Bobcats took a 2-0 lead in the third when Ballard walked, Dixon singled and Luckett and Lindsey followed with back-to-back sacrifice flies.
 
Jones added six runs in the fourth. Kathryn Smith (Luling, Louisiana) led off the inning with a home run. Luckett added a two-run double and Lindsey closed the frame with a two-run home run, her team-leading ninth blast of the season to make it 8-1.
 
The Bobcats ended it in the fifth when Karagan Howard (Iowa, Louisiana) led off with a double and later scored on a Mackenzie Jones' (South Jones) fielder's choice.
 
Smith homered and singled with Luckett and Sydney Pevey (Lawrence County) each getting a double and a single. Dixon had two singles, Lindsey homered, Howard doubled and Skylar McLellan (Brandon) singled. 
 
Starter Avery Byerley went 3.2 innings and was charged with the loss, falling to 5-5. She allowed eight runs, 10 hits, walked one and struck out one. Sara Gaylord pitched the final inning, giving up one run and one hit.